The Ship Model Forum

To keep things simple: I would buy any Royal Navy WW II or WW I battleship or cruiser produced by Dragon to their latest standards. I would also like a Dunkerque or Strasbourg, but I'm not holding my breath!

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Fast is fine, but accuracy is everything.
Wyatt Earp

Here are my five, plus two alternates in case some of the top five are eliminated

USS Maine (1898)
USS Virginia CGN 38
HMS Leander Type 12 frigate. Many worldwide variations
USS Texas, preserved in Texas
HMS Sheffield (1941) Town class cruiser

plus
HMS Dreadnought (dreadnought, not submarine)
Dutch liner Nieuw Amsterdam 1938. Long lived, also possible in troop transport version.

-John Emery
Cedar Hill, Texas

1. USS Enterprise CV-6
2. Atlanta class cruiser
3. St. Louis class cruiser
4. Portland class cruiser
5. USS Wasp CV-7

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On the ways:
1/350 AFV Club LST

1) DKM WWII K class light cruiser
2) Soviet Kara
3) Soviet Kresta
4) Soviet Krivak
5) Soviet Grisha

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On the workbench:
Gecko 1/16 Panzer II Ausf. F

Recently completed:
Panda 1/16 Pz.38(t)
Takom 1/16 Panzer I Ausf. B
Trumpeter 1/350 Severomrsk (Udaloy)
Trumpeter 1/350 Project 956E Sovremenny
Hobbyboss 1/350 Voltaire

My votes are as follows:

1.) USS TEXAS BB-35--could be done in both WW2 and WW1 fits,only preserved dreadnaught era BB, exists as museum ship so this alone would provide some sales
2) Any one of big 5 in prewar/early WW2 fit (cage masts) personally would prefer USS WEST VIRGINIA or USS CALIFORNIA
3) Have to agree with previous posts, an ACCURATE CV-6 ENTERPRISE in any WW2 fit would be a big seller, hands down. The most decorated US ship from WW2 deserves an accurate model. Should Dragon produce it, it seems likely to me that Trumpys Hornet mold would likely see little use in the future except for scrap metal
4)WW2 British heavy cruiser, HMS SUFFOLK, HMS DORSETSHIRE, HMS CANBERRA, ANY British CA, please!!!
5)Another USN Heavy Cruiser please, NORTHAMPTON Class would offer multiple options but would require two different mold sets for the flagship cruisers vs. regular ships (HOUSTON vs. NORTHAMPTON), or how about a SALT LAKE CITY, and finally of course the famous USS INDIANAPOLIS

BB-35 USS Texas is a great option because she still exsist. She is at San Jacinto state park in Lynchburg, Texas. Its a 20 minute drive from Houston, Texas.

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║ Seasick║
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My top 5 choices:

1: The "Big 5" Pre-war and Re-Built 1945 fits
2: USS Des Moines Class CA (All fits)
3: USS Arkansas (1945 but other fits would be cool too)
4: USS Texas/USS New York (1945 but other fits would be cool too) - Both ships were so similar the molds would easily make both in any time frame.
5: Forrestal Class CV - ANY of the 4 ships in ANY fit. Those molds would allow you to make a kit of each ship in 3-4 different fits and they would sell.

The 1/700 versions would all sell like hotcakes as well

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Drawing Board:
1/700 Whiff USS Leyte and escorts 1984
1/700 Whiff USN Modernized CAs 1984
1/700 Whiff ASW Showdown - FFs vs SSGN 1984

Slipway:
1/700 Whiff USN ASW Hunter Killer Group Dio 1984

1) Soviet flotilla leader Tashkent
2) Any of the French 2400 tonners (preferably Le Milan or Valmy)
3) RN Giulio Cesare (we need an opponent for the oncoming HMS Warspite)
4) Any of the County class cruisers
5) Any WWI battlecruiser (preferably HMS Queen Mary or KMS Derfflinger)

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My TOP 5:


1. USS West Virginia - USS Tennessee - USS California - 1944/45 fit.
2. Baltimore Class (CA-68)
3. USS Long Beach (CGN-9)
4. HMS Illustrious or HMS Victorious
5. CA Bolzano or Trento Class

USS Arizona (Dragon is already doing the Pennsy, so the AZ would be easy! right?)
New York Class (BB-34 - BB-35)
Nevada Class (BB-36 - BB-37)
New Mexico Class (BB-40 - BB-42)
Tennessee Class (BB-43 - BB-44 Whats nice with these is they are almost identical to the Colorado class that Dragon could get multiple ships from the major molds.)

I'd love to see the ships all in their Dec. 7 1941 fits, along with prewar and all other fits. I'd definitely buy Dec 7 fit for sure though.

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-Abram

To all the people who are voting for a CV-5, -6,or -8, the answer is going to be no. The whole crew has been petitioning for a new Enterprise for months now and Dragon feels the Trumpeter one means it will have to wait until they have established more new subjects. I agree that the Trumpy one sucks, but for now you are just wasting your vote. And regarding the issue of you not knowing if something is in production or not, well, it is a hazard. But I will say this, some of you are going to be really, really happy in the near future because some of the items on this list are in production already. But as for the ones the general public knows about, refer to Timmy's 350th plastic production thread to get an idea of what is coming out soon, his first post lists many of them.

ULTRA UNLIKELy

1944 USS New Jersey (Round Bridge) - Dragon already has most of the AA down and this kit would be a huge seller in my opinion, who doesn't love an Iowa and New Jersey is the most decorated battleship in history and currently afloat. Tamiyas kit is extremely old and poor and square bridged, conversion is possible, BUT it's arduous.


1. Schleswig-Holstein (the AA from Scharnhorst can be used to make the late war AA version of the ship)
2. Rebuilt Tennessee (hull can be used for 3 ships)
3. Andrea Doria (Italian BB)
4. Rodney/Nelson

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1) Vietnam Essex Class SCB-125

2) Any Forrestal Class

3) Any Kitty Hawk Class

4) 1980's Midway

5) CV-7 Wasp

Like Mark T. said, if you do the first 3 correctly, you can make many kits out of them and the data is plentiful.

1. S.M.S Derfflinger/Lützow
2. HMS Lion (WWI)
3. Clevland Class CL (WW2)
4. Angled deck Essex Class
5. IJN carrier Taiho

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UN-altered REPRODUCTION and DISSEMINATION of this IMPORTANT Information is ENCOURAGED, ESPECIALLY to COMPUTER BULLETIN BOARDS.

1. C.F. Adams DDG
2. Kortenaer class FFGH
3. MEKO 200 FFGH
4. Alaska class
5. Type 42 specificaly HMS Liverpool

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NIKOS (NICK)
ΜΕΓΑ ΤΟ ΤΗΣ ΘΑΛΑΣΣΗΣ ΚΡΑΤΟΣ
(GREAT IS THE NATION THAT MASTERS THE SEAS)

Thanks for this survey. I've been wanting to express myself on this topic for a while anyway. This is my list of the most neglected Warship Subjects in the Hobby IMHO.

1. HMS Ajax
Foe of the Spee, hero of the River Plate, sleek, handsome, heroic, famous and neglected.
2. USS Portland
The 'Sweet Pea' of WWII fame. One of the most durable and successful of all the treaty cruisers. Handsome ship with a credible following due to the efforts of author Tom Generous. As an added bonus, you could produce her infamous sister Indianapolis without having to do a complete retool.
3. USS Reuben James & co.
Just think about the possibilities of a four piper project. DDs, DMSs, USS, HMS, the variants are almost endless, and these ships saw action. After the Reuben James you could do the Aaron Ward, and go from a victim of the Battle of the Atlantic, to a Hero of Pearl Harbor in 2 kits! The Wickes and Clemsons had the same dimensions, with well over 200 ships completed when combining both classes. These ships are well over due for representation.
4. HMS Rodney
The ship that sank the Bismarck. 'Nuff said. Long over due for representation. Surely one of the most significant battleships of the 20th Century not only as a member of the first Treaty Designed Battleship Class with an innovative and influential layout, but as one of the mainstays of the Royal Navy in WWII. Add her sister Nelson to the mix and you have a major splash in the Battleship Market. These ships had a uniquely powerful profile, a storied history and an established following. Dragon could expect to make a major splash in the market with a Rodney/Nelson Smart Kit Project.
5. SMS Goeben
A long shot, I know. Or is it? Goeben was a beautiful ship with a colorful history. In fact, possibly one of the most Historically Significant ships of the Dreadnought Era. And that's saying something. How about a 2nd release as Yavuz? You'd have the only Turkish Battleship Kit on the Market. Of course one would have to deal with the long standing curse of Anton Monogram which I believe reads:

'He who produces in plastic a WWI dreadnought
Will, within three years have his company bought...'

But I believe if one makes an offering of 6.7 grams (a Phoenician half-drachma) of purple stretched sprue to the final resting place of Oetzi the Iceman on an odd-numbered day in Midwinter at the Iceman Museum in South Tyrol Italy, one is then metaphysically free to seek a dispensation from the Fraternal Order of the Rechabites, whom, if I remember correctly, preside and administer all superstitions related to the Hobby of Plastic Ship Modeling, in addition to their regular duties. As I understand it the Rechabites would be more than willing to grant a dispensation of indefinite duration to any plastic model company willing to produce a kit of the SMS Goeben in 350th. However, don't mention to them that I posted this information on the internet.

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Pessimists see the world as it truly is...
Optimists change the world.

1. Any US Cruiser class not currently represented in 1/350 plastic.
2. 1/350 4 stack, Post war Fletcher class and Forest Sherman Class Destoyers,
3. 1/350 Neglected UK/commonwealth classes.

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Russ

I'm a 1/700 guy so feel free to completely disregard my vote but Dragon has a history of producing 1/700 subjects from 1/350 kits so...

1. Colony class
2. Big 5 new or rebuilt
3. Town class (ww2)
4. County class (ww2)
5, Queen Mary (the liner)

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"A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for."
- William Shedd

Hello
My personnal list :

1°) Normandie*
And why not a steamer? In addition, it is the most beautiful.

2°) HMS Rodney / HMS Nelson
Two battleships with a great story, but too often overlooked (especially scale model).

3°) La Galissonnière class, dubbed "Les 7600 tonnes".*
Six cruisers, several possible versions like Gloire with her amazing camouflage!

4°) HMS Ark Royal (version 1940)
The most famous and the most beautiful aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy.

5°) USS Alaska class
Because my friend Pierre Marchal likes them.

Finally, and despite your refusal in previous posts, I will add :

USS Enterprise (CV6) version 1944-1945.

First, I do not understand why the most famous warship of the U.S. Navy does not exist in plastic model in 1/350.
Trumpeter probable cases do not produce this model. Their model of USS Hornet is totally wrong. They have to redraw completely.
And even if they produce the model. Compared to what you can create, compare these two models would be like comparing Scharnhorst from Heller and your model!
Also, how patriotic feeling can you be willing to see "The Legend of the Pacific" poorly produced by a Chinese company.
More seriously, the business perspective, success is guaranteed.

My argument is not a personal goal, but it is a reflection based on logic.
Personally, I have already started scratchbuilding the CV6.
Kind regards
Seb

*For the French ships, I can help you with the documentation.

The RN is grossly under-representated (in any era)

1: Bogue/Attacker/Ruler class - USN and RN - lots of camouflage and options fits.

2: "Starter" kit of a "Flower" class corvette - lots of navies (inc. USN), lots of camouflage options, lots of fits

3: Almost any WW2 Cruiser class, especially the Towns, Counties or Didos - all have lots of detail differences and camouflage options. Friedman's book will be a good guide when it comes out. Personally I would go for the Towns, but to each their own.

4: Rodney/Nelson are sure to be good initial sellers, but a lack of optional fits.

5: So many ones for the last choice, including the Illustrious class, Black Swans and Lochs. But for real modeller sales I would go for one of the A- to I-Class destroyers, especially those which later in life were converted to ASW configuration. Lots of fits and camouflage options.

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